Passing Ships, the Outliers series
by ian7285
Summary: This is the direct sequel to the "Outliers" storyline. Please go read that story first! "Outliers is a series of interactions between Jughead and Cheryl that take place in between the time that we see these characters onscreen. "Outliers" takes place in early/mid-season 1, whereas "Passing Ships" follows almost immediately after the season 1 finale (most recent episode).
1. Return

**This is a continuation of the** ** _Outliers_** **storyline. Please go read that story first!** ** _Outliers_** **is a series of interactions between Jughead and Cheryl that take place in between the time that we see these characters onscreen.** ** _Outliers_** **takes place in early/mid-season 1, whereas** ** _Passing Ships_** **follows almost immediately after the season 1 finale (the most recent episode to date).**

* * *

 _No one in Riverdale is who they seem. The most normal of families harbor the darkest secrets. And the girl that seems like a storm of chaos isn't all that bad._

Jughead shut his laptop as he saw Cheryl Blossom leaving the school. He walked quickly towards her before she could drive away. She caught sight of him but pretended not to notice and climbed into the driver's seat of her convertible.

"What do you want, Serpent?"

Jughead got in the passenger seat and stayed silent.

"You know we can't be seen together."

"Things have changed."

"Yes, and now they're worse. Jughead… please."

"Drive."

She put the car in gear and made a noise of frustration. Neither spoke until Cheryl pulled up to Sweetwater River.

"Do you just enjoy irony?" Jughead said at last.

"What do you want?"

"I want to talk."

"There's nothing to say, is there?"

"I'm worried about you."

"Don't be." Cheryl crossed her arms and looked away. Tears were starting to well up in her eyes.

"I knew something was wrong that day… When you came out here…"

"How? You think you know me that well?"

"It was this," he answered and pulled Cheryl's spider brooch from his pocket. "You said if anything happened to you, you'd give it to me."

"That was a joke."

"Clearly not."

"Why do you care?" Her voice was louder now. She continued until she was almost yelling. "Are you going to tell me that I made a mistake? That you feel sorry for me? I've heard it from everyone, and I don't need you doing the same thing!"

Jughead looked at her sorrowfully. "I'm not just sad. I'm angry. I know you've got problems, Cheryl. God knows I do, too. But… I can't believe you would try to… to leave."

"What's there to stick around for?"

"Your mom. Your future niece or nephew… Me."

Cheryl shook her head. "You're with Betty, Jug. And you know we couldn't… we just can't."

"Doesn't mean I don't care."

Cheryl placed her hand over Jughead's and sighed. "So you're a Serpent now?"

"Yeah, one of the gang. No pun intended."

"I bet you look hot in that jacket," she teased with a weak smile.

"I'm Riverdale's new bad boy. Didn't you hear?"

That got a genuine laugh out of Cheryl. "I must have missed the memo. But don't talk to me about going dark until you burn down your fucking house." She pulled her hand away. "I'm losing it. I'm as crazy and messed up as everyone says."

"In case you haven't noticed, everyone is dealing with some dark shit in this town. You're not alone." He took her face in his hand and looked her in the eyes. "You're not alone, Cheryl."

She hugged him tightly. "Ugh, Betty is lucky. Sometimes I wish you weren't with her, even if I can't be with you."

"Well, be careful what you wish for."

Cheryl pulled away and frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Betty isn't too fond of me being a Serpent. She thinks I'm pulling away from her and that I'm going down a road that's too dangerous for us."

"Are you?"

Jughead shook his head. "I'll be fine. Schools and jackets don't mean anything. Archie's letterman jacket doesn't mean he's married to football, so why should a Serpent jacket mean I'm destined to be a local gangbanger?"

The question hung in the air for what felt like hours. It was a genuine question on Jughead's part. What did this make him? Was he defined by the family he was born into or the one he chose among friends?

Cheryl sighed. "Jughead... I'm sorry." The statement surprised him. What was she sorry for? "I'm sorry about what happened between us. Maybe things would be better if I had just said screw it and been with you... I'm sorry I tried to kill myself and got Archie hurt. I'm sorry my dad is dead, and maybe I could have protected Jason better. I-I..."

Jughead pulled her into his arms again, and they sat in silence like they had what felt like ages ago. Lonely together again.


	2. Distance

_Every small town has a place that defines it. Whether it's the world's largest something or a historical landmark, it's the thing that you'd put on a postcard. For Riverdale, that's Pop's._

"Hi there, you two!"

Jughead looked up from his laptop and saw Cheryl poised over the booth. He and Betty had come to the mildly famous diner for milkshakes and to study, but when Cheryl Blossom arrives anywhere, plans are likely to be skewed.

Cheryl slid into the booth next to Jughead and set her purse down on the seat.

"H-hi, Cheryl…" Betty greeted her skeptically. "We're just doing some homework if you want to –"

"What part of 4.0 do people not seem to get? I think I'll be fine, but it's cute of you to think I need to study."

Betty clutched her hands into fists, and Jughead frowned. He'd noticed nail marks on Betty's hands the other day but let it slide. Was this a regular thing with her? Why hadn't he picked up on it before?

Cheryl touched Jughead's shoulder. "I just need to borrow the Serpent here for a minute. You don't mind, do you Betts?"

Before Betty could answer, Cheryl was pulling Jughead out of the booth and outside into the cool afternoon air.

"What's going on, Cheryl?"

"Can't a girl just come talk to a friend?"

"If it were just small talk, you'd text."

Cheryl crossed her arms and looked down at the ground. "I miss you. Okay? I know you have Betty, and I know there's not a way to be… together… but I miss being around someone who understands me and isn't out for blood or money."

Jughead ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I thought you couldn't be seen with me."

"That's the tricky part. My family can't take another scandal. And I'm sure the Serpents aren't too happy with us after what my dad did…"

"I miss you, too."

Cheryl looked up at him curiously, as if she hadn't expected to hear him say it. "You do?"

"Like you said, not everyone gets it."

"What about Betty?"

Jughead chose his words carefully. "I love her. But sometimes she looks at me like she doesn't recognize me with my darkness. It's a part of me, though, like it's a part of you. You know that we have to live with that darkness."

"Why wouldn't she understand? Chuck used to call her Dark Betty when she went crazy, remember?"

"She tries to hide it away, to forget it. I don't want to do that because then it can sneak up on me."

Cheryl took a step towards him. "So you embrace your darkness?"

"I keep an eye on it. And I'll use it if and when I need to."

Impressed, Cheryl raised an eyebrow. "That's the kind of manipulation I'd expect from Veronica."

"Or you."

"Definitely me…"

They stood in silence a little while longer, then Cheryl made a soft sigh. "I guess you'd better get back in there."

Jughead moved closer to her, his back facing the windows of the diner so that no one could see. He grabbed Cheryl's hand and held it to his chest. "I'll see you soon. I promise."

She nodded, and they separated. Jughead walked back into the diner and sat down to his half-melted milkshake.

"Everything alright?" Betty asked, her head bowed over a textbook.

"Yeah," he said simply.

His girlfriend shut the book and stared directly at him. "It's Cheryl Blossom. Whatever she had to say had to be more interesting than 'yeah'."

Jug's fist slammed onto the booth. "Not everything is something, Betty. You and Veronica are always looking to persecute her and anyone else who doesn't fit your litmus test of goodness."

Betty looked taken aback, but she didn't back down. "When you get angry like that, it makes it sound like you're hiding something."

"Solve one murder, and you're suddenly an expert sleuth."

"It also makes you sound like your dad."

The blow stung deep in Jughead's chest. It took him a minute to recover, and by the time he had, Betty was already out of the booth and heading for the door.


	3. Want

_Real-life love stories are supposed to be simple. Boy meets girl. Shenanigans ensue. Marriage. Kids. Death. High school somehow manages to complicate things no matter where you live. Add on some Twilight Zone level happenings, and you've got Riverdale High._

 _The stories are more complex. Boy and girl are best friends. Girl likes boy. Boy likes new girl. Loner boy likes evil girl. Original girl and loner boy get together. Loner boy and evil girl still care about each other… You get the point._

 _I don't claim to be an expert on romance, but I'm pretty sure it's supposed to contain less murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, gangs, and distant family incest._

Jughead kept to himself in his new home, despite his foster family's efforts to include him. They were pleasant enough, but Jug had a new rule against trusting adults in Riverdale ever since half of them had turned out to be criminals or adulterers.

He was already in bed for the night, and his usual jacket and hat were replaced by a white t-shirt and some oversized boxers. He shut his laptop for the night and decided that maybe he'd actually try going to sleep early like normal people do.

He remembered that being normal not only sounded boring but was also incredibly out of his wheelhouse, so he picked up his phone and opened up his texts. He looked down at the selective group of names that he actually cared about and thought about who he would try first. Archie was asleep by now. He and Veronica weren't close enough for a late night chat. That left two major players. Betty and Cheryl.

He opened up Betty's chat thread and typed out a quick message. _Love you. Text me in the morning._

He navigated to the previous screen and selected Cheryl's name. _Hey, ice queen._

The response was almost immediate. _Hi Serpent trash._

 _Can't sleep?_

 _Why do u think I'm such a bitch?_

 _Really want me to answer that?_

 _F U Jones._

He thought for a minute before responding. _What are you doing tonight?_

 _Laying in bed…_

 _Wanna go somewhere?_

Five minutes always felt like twenty when it came to texting. And when it was important, it felt like an hour. Eventually, Cheryl's reply came back. _Meet at old drive-in lot. 15 min._

Jughead hopped out of bed and dressed quickly, choosing his fleece-lined jacket over the Serpent one this time. In his best ninja impression, Jug climbed out the window and lowered himself brick by brick to the ground. Easy.

By the time he arrived at the construction site, Jughead was second guessing his decision to go out, both because of the time and the company he was keeping. What would Betty think about his midnight rendezvous with Cheryl Blossom?

Cheryl's candy apple red convertible pulled in moments later, and he hopped in on the passenger side without hesitation.

"Buckle up," she said with a mischievous smile, and Jughead wondered what she had in store. Did she want to prank him? Have sex with him? Murder him? He decided that at least one of those was highly unlikely but wasn't any more reassured.

"You seem like you already have something in mind."

"Do you mind staying up all night?"

Jughead shrugged. "I can do the classes at South Side in my sleep."

They drove for about half an hour before stopping in front of a large hotel. "Here we are," Cheryl announced. "A Greendale getaway."

They got out of the car, and Cheryl pulled a tote bag from the trunk before tossing her keys casually to the late night valet. She took the lead as they entered the hotel, strolling up to the counter and asking for a room.

"Aren't you a little young, sweetheart?" The man behind the desk asked.

Cheryl's polite smile fell, and instead she passed a stack of bills over the counter. "For the night, and a little extra to never call me sweetheart."

The man nodded in spite of himself and took the money. "Name?"

"Sabrina Spellman."

"Here you go. 418," he said, handing over a key card.

Another thought came to Cheryl's mind. "Is the pool open?"

"It's midnight."

Cheryl slapped down another wad of bills. "Is the pool open?"

"Shit, lady,"

"And don't disturb us."

The man grumbled but swiped the key card again. "There. You've got access."

"Thanks!" the redhead said brightly and took the card back to her companion.

Jughead couldn't say if he was more impressed by Cheryl or concerned by the lax behavior of the concierge. Either way, they'd just rented a hotel room and were heading up their now.

In the elevator, Cheryl took his hand. "I thought maybe we could pretend for tonight that we're together. Not Cheryl Blossom. Not Jughead Jones."

"Just two people…" Jughead reminisced. "Like at the drive-in."

When they finally reached the room, Jughead recalled something. "I didn't bring anything to swim in."

Cheryl shook her head. "Don't you know I'm always a step ahead?" She pulled a pair of new trunks from her tote bag as well as a two-piece suit for herself.

They took turns changing in the bathroom then walked hand-in-hand down to the lobby.

Jughead couldn't keep his eyes off Cheryl. She'd chosen a black number with a gold lace-like trim. It was elegant and gothic and every bit as Cheryl Blossom as her hair or her name.

The pool was heated, and the temporary couple didn't delay getting in. At first they chatted, catching up on their time apart. Finally, Cheryl had an idea.

"What about Marco Polo?"

"A fine man, in my opinion."

"Ugh!" Cheryl splashed him in mock irritation. "You go first."

Jughead closed his eyes and waited. "Alright, ready?"

Silence.

"I'll take that as a yes. Marco!"

"Polo." Her voice was farther than before but still fairly close it seemed.

"Marco."

"Polo!" Closer.

"Marco!"

"Polo!"

Jughead reached out his hand but missed.

"Marco."

"Polo." Her voice was soft, and he could tell she was right in front of him. Before he could reach out to touch her, he felt Cheryl's lips pressed against his.

He didn't dare open his eyes and instead placed his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her to him. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Her skin was soft to the touch, and with his eyes shut, every sensation was heightened.

When they finally broke the kiss, Jughead opened his eyes. He'd forgotten how radiant Cheryl Blossom looked when she was happy.

"I guess you win," she said with a slight smile.

"I think we're all winners."

"We should try to sleep a little before we drive back."

Jughead nodded in agreement, and they dried off by the pool before heading up to the room.

When they were inside, Cheryl pulled him to her again, and he couldn't help but smirk. "So how far ahead did you plan?"

"Enough to know you won't sleep with me."

"You don't know that."

"Are you?"

He shook his head silently. "I can't…"

She looked disappointed but nodded her head in understanding. "I know. Not everything can be forgotten."

"I'm sorry, Cheryl."

"You wouldn't be the guy I… have feelings for if you did."

Jughead sighed. "You know I want this, too, right? I mean, if things were different and normal…"

"I know." She took a deep breath. "I know we're not together and we don't even know each other _that_ well, but… I want to love you."

"I want to love you, too."

They kissed again, and they stripped out of their wet clothes in front of each other. They had been naked together in every other sense of the word, and nothing felt unnatural about the interaction.

Cheryl slipped on Jughead's shirt, and he put his boxers back on before climbing into bed. He laid flat on his back, and she placed her head on his chest. They said nothing more for a long time, and eventually both began to drift off into sleep.

"I want to love you."

"I want to love you, too."


	4. Fear & Hope

_I'm what you call an unreliable narrator. Just because I'm the one putting words on this page, it doesn't make me God. And it certainly doesn't make me right. But when Jughead Jones fucks up, he owns up to it… something his father rarely did…_

Jughead erased the rambling from his screen. Betty entered the diner, and she paused before walking over to him. At last, she sat across from him, working up the ability to speak.

"But you didn't sleep with her?"

"Literally, yes. I didn't have sex with her, though. I told you."

Betty nodded. "Yeah. Okay." He could see tears at the corners of her eyes, threatening to pour over the edge. "Do you love her?"

"Not in the way you're thinking."

"Do you love me?"

"Yes." He leaned forward. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, Betty. And I'm sorry for how I've been acting for awhile. Cheryl and I had a history that I didn't tell anyone about. I needed to put that behind me. For a lot of reasons, she and I can't be together, but the most important reason is that I love you. I want us to work. We've been together through every bat-shit crazy thing this town has thrown at us this year. And I know you've had concerns and that you're worried about me. I know it doesn't excuse anything, but I've been lost and confused about who I am and where I belong. I don't have it all figured out, not by a long shot, but I know that I belong with you."

"I'm afraid of all these changes, of all the darkness."

Jughead reached out and took Betty's hands. "Don't be. I'm right here. You keep me being me. And I won't let your darkness get the better of you."

She looked surprised, as if she hadn't expected him to notice her struggle. He pressed on. "I don't know what you're struggling with, but we're going to deal with it as a team. You don't pull away from me, and I promise I won't pull away from you ever again."

"You still fucked up, Jug."

"I know."

"If my family is any indication, I can forgive a lot of things." She pulled her hands away. "Just give me a little time."

He nodded. "Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too." She paused. "Let's not tell anyone else about this. I don't need to hear Veronica's comments on this for the next month."

Jughead gave a sober smile. "Yeah, absolutely."

Betty face softened ever so slightly, then she turned and left.

Jughead took a sip of the milkshake in front of him and turned his attention back to the blank page on his laptop.

 _I will not disappoint Betty._

 _I will not pull away from Betty._

 _I will not think about Cheryl again._

He felt like a child writing on a blackboard, and the sentiment made him sick, because he remembered that those kids were always the troublemakers who never learned from their mistakes.

He hoped with all his heart that he was better than that.

As he sat in that booth wearing a leather jacket labeled "South Side Serpents" he hoped he was better than his father.


	5. Author's Note

**Thanks to everyone for reading. If you enjoyed this story, please don't forget to follow me for more. And feel free to vote or PM me about what you'd like to see more of.**


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